How To Change the Modified Date of a Folder

Posted by Arch on June 30, 2019

As soon as you make changes to a folder the system records it and provides exact time stamps. At first glance, it seems impossible to make changes to this information. However, with some help of a third-party app or simple Terminal command (for Mac users), you can change the modified date to anything you want.

It allows for a better file and folder organization, especially if you need to link them to a particular event. On the other hand, you might not want your client to know when the last modifications occurred. In any case, the following sections will provide you with a comprehensive step-by-step guide on how to do it.

Windows Users

Step 1

Windows users need to download and install BulkFileChanger. This is a free piece of utility software that allows you to create lists of folders and files on your computer and make desired changes to attributes, the time they were created and modified, and more.

To be precise, this program can change file/folder attributes to System, Read Only, or Hidden. And you can also export in CSV or TXT formats or copy the files to your clipboard.

Step 2

Launch BulkFileChanger, select File from the menu bar, and choose Add Files. Now, you can select the folder or file you want to use. You should see it on the list inside the app’s main window.

To initiate the changes, click on Actions in the menu bar and choose “Change Time/Attributes.” The keyboard shortcut is F6.

Step 3

The following window features File Date/Time and File Attributes sections. Under File Date/Time, you can use the drop-down boxes to tweak created, modified, and accessed time. Or you can use the options on the far right to add hours, minutes, and days to the time stamp.

By default, the specified time is in GMT and there is also a feature to quickly copy time stamps from one file or folder to another. Tick the box above “Copy Time From” and select Modified, Created, or Accessed from the box next to it. Then tick the box in front of the destination item’s time.

Step 4

Once you dial in the desired time stamps, click on the “Do it” button. The folder or file will reflect the changes.

macOS Users

You don’t need a special app to change the date a Mac folder was modified. The only requirements are a simple Terminal command and the destination path of the folder. Here are the necessary steps.

Step 1

Press cmd + Space on your keyboard and type “Terminal,” then hit Enter to launch the app. Otherwise, you can access Launchpad, go to Utilities, and click on Terminal there.

Step 2

At this point, you need to determine the path of the folder you are interested in. The easiest way to do it is to drag and drop the folder into the Terminal window.

Step 3

Enter the required command and the format is as follows.

touch -mt YYYYMMDDhhmm.ss (file path)

The command affects the touch utility which is responsible for setting and modification of folder/file times and dates. It’s important to note that YYYYMMDDhhmm.ss section refers to the year, month, day, minutes, and seconds.

When you start adding numbers in place of letters, don’t forget the full stop in front of ss. For example, if you want to set the date to October 9, 1997, at 09:03 am, you should enter 199710090903.27 for example.

Note: After you drag and drop the folder, move the cursor in front of it and just copy and paste the command and type the right numbers. Use arrow keys to move the cursor, as your mouse/touchpad doesn’t work in Terminal. The file path doesn’t need brackets. They are there for grammar purposes.

Step 4

Hit Enter after you type everything and the date modified and created will change in an instant. You should also know that the same method and command apply to files as well. Drag and drop the file to get the path, then repeat the steps above.

When’s Your Birthday?

You are now equipped with all the tools and tricks to change the modified date of a folder. Why not get creative and use your birthday or a specific point in time when the stars aligned right? Okay, we are exaggerating a little and this might cause unnecessary confusion.

Anyhow, why do you need to change the date modified? Is it for business or personal file organization/management? Feel free to share with the rest of the community in the comments section below.